Not totally happy with libre 2

[DavidDK]

I'm having a bit of a nightmare getting the Libre 2 alarms (any of them) to alarm on my phone.

The Libre 2 sensors don't appear to want to "pair" with the bluetooth on my phone.

Spoke to three of the sensor maker's customer service people so far today. The first two were helpful, the last one less so.

Spoke to my phone maker's customer services and had a really helpful chat. The bluetooth on my phone is working properly as I can pair with other devices. They suggested either the sensor battery or the bluetooth device in the sensor may not be working properly.

 

[DavidDK]

Hello, does anyone else find the Libre 2 use of bluetooth drains the battery on their mobile significantly more than usual?

I'm finding I have to charge my one year old mobile 2-3 times a day now (was just once before).

I wonder if this might improve once the Libre 3 is available finally.

 

[jenfoolery]

I find Libre 2 significantly more accurate than Libre 1.
However, I find they take longer to “soak in”. The first couple of days after insertion of Libre 2, it seems to make up numbers. Therefore, I insert in 48 hours before activating and have great results.

There seem to be a few people expressing frustration with Libre 2 but there seem to be many more people who find it more accurate.
We are all different so maybe the algorithm (which has been changed for Libre 2) suits some people better than others.

Hi... do you still get 14 days of readings this way or does the reader detect that it's already been on your arm for two days?

 

[Hopeful34]

Yes you still get 14 days, the countdown only begins when you 'activate' the sensor, not when you apply it to your arm.

 

[Lisa69free]

I'm going to be trialling a Libre 2 sensor soon. I think during that 2 weeks I'll still finger prick to test accuracy before signing up to take one for longer. It's a lot of money to not be trusting the results. Has anyone had any issue correcting hypos and had hypers after?

 

[allwritemel]

In this instance I have to say the symptoms I was having suggest that the reading from the libre was more accurate. 4.8 mmol from the blood reader suggest I shouldn't be having a hypo but I'd just totally screwed up my novorapid dosage and was crashing hard.

I'll be interested to see how accurate the a1c estimate is next time I get it taken.

I had the same problem. Not sure if i'm sickening for Covid (possible) and my body is being contrary (doctor told me it's not unheard of to go low if I'm fighting that - my Mum has it). Thank God for the sensor because i had no idea I was so low - trouble was, nothing I did brought the sugar up. I tried EVERYTHING. I called 111 and the woman got me to eat a ton of pure syrup. I like syrup but that was disgusting (I had o have a coffee, too, which she was thrilled I was going to do - it would also raise my sugar). Still nothing. It dropped to ONE and I was on the verge of collapse (which has happened once before). Luckily the syrup brought it up but it kept happening. I should have been sky high but I was so low! Of course, yesterday I had he opposite problem and couldn't even go for a walk to help myeslf. Don't laugh but I did exercises, danced in my room, paaced and drunk a over 2 litres of water (I HATE water). Eventually it worked - at 7 pm. If i hdn't had the ensor I would never have known what was going on. I couldn't have coped pricking my finger that much. I only have one had to do it with as the other one is badly damaged after a fall that should have killed me. I spoke to my DSN and she was lovely - so helpful. She told me to check what my HbA1c says in a few days - and see how accurate it is. She believes it will have gone right down. Hope so! We are not sure if - as I said earlier - I'm sickening for something or if I messed up my insulin dose. I'm severely sight impaired (have no sight at the moment). It's POSSIBLE I miscounted how much insulin I had taken. I just hope that never happens again. Feeling really rough today ...

 

[allwritemel]

Actually I love mine because it's really helping me to understand my requirements and how my body reacts. The ONLY thing I don't love is that it gives false low readings and so wakes me up saying I'm having a hypo when I'm not. That's the only downside.

I love mine too! I now have a good idea what different foods do to me - what's even better, some I thought I maybe shouldn't have, I've tried - and found they barely affect me so it's brilliant in that way. I agree the alarms are a pain - but they are doing their job. Before I went with this team my HbA1c was terrible - no support at all from the hospital, especially once my favourite clinician had gone. But this team are fantastic and have kept in touch, helped me when Ih ave a problem - my HbA1c was over 100 - now it's 75! That's one hell of an improvement. I'm trying to get it to 50 ... when the dietician said that I laughed and said it was impossible - but now it seems its not. So when they offered me the Libre Lite 2, I jumped at it ... I'll find out in a few weeks how accurate the HbA1c estimation is ... I'll post here if that's Ok. Then we'll have a rough idea how accurate it is. But a) it alerts me to hypos (which I am usually having) and b) it tells me how my body is reacting to certain foods so that in itself is brilliant.

 

[peat5961]

I to have found the Libre 2 less accurate than the Libre 1 which was brilliant

I have some Libre 1 sensors left from when they changed me over to Libre 2

I used these with a reader it uses the older software ( algorithm ) to work out the sugar level & it’s always closer to my blood sugar level than my Libre 2 is

That’s using the App on my phone with latest software version ( algorithm ) to work out the level

My Libre 2 is always 1.5 to 2 units lower than blood levels even with when it's a flat line for 5hrs.

I have changed the alarm settings best I can to try & compensate

But fed up to the back teeth trying to explain to the Consultant when he or any of the Diabetic team look at my libreView records that I’ve NOT gone Hypo 10 times in one week 3.6 – 3.9 & that my levels are 4.7 - 5

If I run levels a bit higher so Libre 2 happy then get told off when they look at my HbA1 & it’s gone up

But told cannot go back to Libre 1 & in any case I do like the fact Libre 2 has alarms even if it is a pain sometimes
Cannot go back to the early days of urine tests or 10+ daily blood tests I had to do

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

In my personal opinion. The Libre 2 is consistently during it 14 day life more accurate than the MK1.
The L1 had a habit of going a little scatty I used to also need to calibrate the L1.
The L2 pretty much stays within 0.6Mmol to the meter. Reasonably happy with that.

 

[Jaylee]

I've recently started using libre 2. I'm on my 2nd sensor and have found it to be about 2.5 mmol out from the blood reader on average when my blood sugars are stable. I spoke to Abbott and they're sending a replacement. I didn't do such comparisons on the first sensor.

However I had a hypo today the libre said I was 3.3 mmol and the blood reader 4.8 mmol. The big psychedelic blob in the middle of my vision confirmed the Libre was correct in saying I was having a hypo and the blood reader incorrect.

So now I'm doubting the accuracy of the blood reader which previously trusted. I think both have the potential to be inaccurate. After doing a Google search I see blood readers are not as accurate as I thought.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose-meters/blood-glucose-meter-accuracy.html

I've also read that you are supposed to test your blood reader regularly with a testing solution. Something no one has ever told me.

After today's hypo readings I've come full circle on being pretty disappointed with the libre to now thinking it's more accurate than my reader which I was comparing against.

Hi Mike,

Hypos, I found the L2 for me can "forwarn" of a low so I can head them off.. The first couple of times the L2 suggested I was 3.5. I thought,am I hell." Then I felt it. (I get a gossamer blue green map of France in my central vision or flicking lights.)
The meter can be 20 minutes behind?
However the Libre can be slower to respond to a recovery from a low. It can sometimes lag a good 40 minutes behind??